This week’s best bet for fishing: Inshore at Jensen Beach, Indian River

BEST BET

Henry Caimotto from Snook Nook Bait and Tackle in Jensen Beach reported offshore fishing has been tough because of the huge swells that keep pounding the beach, but it doesn’t matter because the inshore fishing has been red hot. Huge schools of mullet that are migrating through the area are attracting jack crevalles to 25 pounds, snook, redfish and tarpon. During the day hours, the fish are pounding the mullet schools and almost any hard plastic lure cast near the feeding fish gets a strike. At night, snook are tearing up live baits and jigs fished along the shadow lines of the bridges in the Indian River.

MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD

Captain Mo Estevez of New Dawn Charters reported big schools of baitfish are migrating along the western shorelines of Biscayne Bay, producing good snook fishing. Bonefish have been plentiful on the Oceanside flats, and the finger channels are holding some groupers and mutton snappers. Estevez had a 15 pound mutton snapper that was caught in one of the channels. Captain Bouncer Smith of Bouncer’s Dusky Fishing Charters out of Miami Beach Marina reported going 1 for 6 on swordfish during a day charter offshore of Government Cut. Closer to the outer reef, sailfish were being caught by the charter boat fleet, and along the beaches there has been a good mackerel bite.

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KEYS

Captain Bill Hauck from the Sea King party boat out of Marathon reported daytime yellowtail fishing has been very good during his day trips. Mixed in with the yellowtails have been mutton snappers and an assortment of small groupers. The fish have been feeding over the reefs in 40 to 100 feet of water. Brett Hogan out of the Holiday Inn in Key Largo reported the offshore fleet continues to have good action around the Humps offshore of Islamorada. Fishing with live baits while over these Humps is producing good catches of blackfin tuna and dolphins to 30 pounds. On the bottom in the same areas there have been some large vermillion snappers and porgies. Over the reef, yellowtail snappers are keeping bottom fishermen busy. In the backcountry using live baits, anglers are catching snook, redfish, black drum and tarpon.

TREASURE COAST

Tommy Turowski at the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle Shop reported giant schools of finger mullet are attracting lots of action from over-slot and slot-size redfish and snook in the Sebastian Inlet. At times there has been mackerel, bluefish, large jack crevalles, ladyfish and pompano coming over the rails at the inlet. In the Indian River, the mullet schools are attracting lots of sea trout and a few nice pompano.

FLORIDA BAY

Captain Jason Sullivan of Rising Tide Charters reported a weeks’ worth of west winds has hampered the big tarpon fishing, but on the inside waters of Flamingo, small- to medium-size tarpon and snook have been biting very well. Pat Sunman and Victor Garcia, both of Miami, fished Florida Bay and landed redfish to 24 inches, snook to 26 inches, jack crevalles and went 1 for 2 on tarpon. All of the fish ate live baits on Hookup lures and on live baits suspended from a Cajun Thunder float. Sunman had his first Grand Slam (tarpon, snook and redfish). Captain Alan Sherman of Get Em Sportfishing Charters was their guide.

SOUTHWEST COAST

Captain Rob Modys of Soul Mate Charters out of Fort Myers reported when anglers are able to fish the offshore waters, they are catching snapper and grouper on live baitfish, shrimp and cut baits. Along the offshore beaches, big tarpon are moving south. In the passes, there has been a good pompano bite and Spanish mackerel, and whiting are in the same area. Redfishing is very good, with small chunks of ladyfish getting the most strikes. The redfish are feeding along the outside mangrove shorelines. The sea trout fishing in the bays has been very good, and many of the trout are measuring up to 18 inches.

FRESHWATER

Jim Crego from Slim’s Fishing Camp in Belle Glade reported bass fishing has slowed a little, but fishermen throwing any hard plastic bait that rattles in a gold or silver color around the outer grass lines and around the floating grass islands are catching bass. Worm fishermen are throwing dark-colored soft plastics and getting bass strikes. Speckled perch have been biting minnows during the daytime around the outer grass lines of the lake.